Besalú’s thriving Jewish community fled the town in 1436 after relentless Christian persecution. It left behind a 12th-century riverside miqvé (ritual bath), a rare survivor of its kind in Spain, which was rediscovered in 1964. It sits inside a vaulted stone chamber, around which remnants of the 13th-century synagogue were unearthed in 2005. Access to the miqvé is by guided tour with the tourist office or Ars Didàctica, but you can see the square and ruin exterior independently.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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Nearby Costa Brava attractions
0.06 MILES
Besalú’s fortified stone bridge is so old, it strains memory. The first records of the bridge date to 1075, though periodic modifications have bolstered…
0.07 MILES
Of Besalú's ancient Sant Julià hospital, built to house pilgrims, only the 12th-century facade is original; it displays four intricately carved capitals,…
0.1 MILES
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0.11 MILES
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- placement: superzone
- path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
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